The world is full of people who have hobbies, whether they love to crochet, spend their weekends standing on train platforms or maybe race through swirling rapids in a flimsy canoe. Many people go abroad to pursue their hobbies, whether that is to combine a holiday with their passion or to explore their interest further. Tenerife, for example, is a great place to go bird watching and climbing, with Mount Teide a magnet for everyone.
The Canary Isles are an attractive winter destination and masses of people go there to get away from the gloomy weather back home. With a wide range of luxury resorts and accommodation to suit every budget, it is no surprise that Tenerife is a top year-round sunshine destination. This island is home to many birds, in particular the canary, hence the name. Brits have been travelling to the region for a very long time to spot some of the exotic birds which call the island their home. Visitors in July have the best chance to spot seabirds and also butterflies, Canary Blue, Canary Speckled Wood and Indian Red Admiral among species present at that time of the year. The magnificent natural landscape and foliage provides the perfect habitat.
The island is also well known for many other hobbies. It’s a favoured spot for many climbers, boulderers and other extreme sport fans. The island’s extreme sports persona has undergone some changes in the last few years and there has been significant investment in the routes and equipment found in the area. There are many different routes on offer, so people of minimal experience can take part in the sports on offer on the island.
Caving is another popular hobby. I spent a fascinating couple of hours exploring the Cueva del Viento; it is one of the few places you can actually walk along a lava tube and is a great way to learn about the geology of the island.
The food in the Canary Isles is generally of a high quality and there’s something for everyone. Although a lot of food has to be imported the local dishes are excellent. You could try your hand at learning to cook as I did at the Bodegas Montje. After a fascinating tour of the winery we had a lesson in making the red and green Mojo sauce that goes with the famous Patatas Arrugudas (wrinkled potatoes).
There are many different activities on offer and some of them may lead to completely new interests. So why not take a break from the cooler weather and explore great hobbies in Tenerife …
I travelled to Tenerife courtesy of Tenerife Tourism and stayed in the historic Grand Hotel Mencey in Santa Cruz.
I’d never visited Tenerife until recently and had no idea the Canary Isles were named after the birds … Love the idea of pursuing hobbies around the globe!
You have to come, see, Zoe! I would be more than happy to be your unofficial guide!
To be fair they weren’t named after the birds, although there are canaries here (but not bright yellow, as you imagine!). It’s generally accepted that they were named for the wild dogs which roamed the islands. The Latin for dog is canis (hence canine too). The birds, on the other hand, are said to be named for the islands.
However, that out of the way, both the bird watching and the climbing, yes, are hugely popular, and relatively unknown by folk outside the islands or keen on either hobby. My son is an avid climber and spends all his time either climbing, bouldering, canyoning or just hiking. The hiking here is unbelievable. You could hike the morning on volcanic badlands and the afternoon in lush forest. The landscape is that diverse.
In addition surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing, mountain biking, diving, sailing, paragliding (not sure if that is the correct word these days, but I see them every day!) are all very popular too. And those are just the ones I think that people may not know about I assume everyone knows there is golf (7 courses), tennis, swimming, snorkeling, big game fishing because those are quite well publicized.
And the latest thing is the number of photographers who have been attracted to the islands, because the photo ops are endless, especially the night skies, because there is little pollution…..Amateur astronomers love it here too. If I sound enthusiastic it’s because I am! I’ve looked to move on, but have yet to find anywhere to beat Tenerife. The incredibly kind year-round climate allows you to practice your sport almost without a break. And now I’ll just shut up and go practice what I preach!
Your description of your adopted home is so evocative … Thanks for the great offer to be shown around Linda – would love to take you up on that one day! And thanks so much for the correction re the origin of the name of the Canary Isles – I’ve pass it on to the writer 🙂
After this post was originally written I went to Tenerife so I have a updated it to include some experiences I had during my visit to the wonderful Tenerife Carnival
http://www.thequirkytraveller.com/2013/02/quirky-view-of-tenerife-carnival/